Student of the Year Award: Trisha Roberson (Physics)

This year’s Science Co-op Student of the Year recognizes an outstanding young physicist, Trisha Roberson (Honors Physics & Philosophy), who has stellar achievements in all areas in her academics, co-op work terms and UBC community. As one of the forerunners of the Max Planck Institutes & UBC exchange initiative, she has done an exemplary job representing the academic excellence of UBC. As an undergraduate student, Trisha began with only limited knowledge of condensed matter theory, but quickly understood the relevant literature and applied it to the problem at hand. Trisha has made significant progress studying the effects of spin-orbit coupling on strontium ruthenate, working from an ab initio theory of the band structure of the material. Her contribution to the research is currently waiting to be published.

Trisha has always been above the undergraduate level and more on par with graduate-school achievement. Prior to her 8 month work term in Germany with MPI, Trisha worked at one of the largest companies in the world – Conoco Philips in Houston, Texas. She worked as a Geoscience Intern which was typically held by Masters or PhD students. Trisha was recommended for the position due to her important accomplishment from her previous work term in the Seismic Laboratory for Imaging and Modelling (SLIM) in UBC. The outcome of her work allowed many research groups that work in Matlab to access the excellent I/O and transpose functions in JavaSeis in order to bridge the gap between academic research and the industrial applications to seismic imaging in oil exploration. It is remarkable how much Trisha has accomplished in shortly 16 months of co-op experience. Not to forget to mention Trisha was also responsible for completing the repair of Canada’s Seismic Network, from only two-thirds functioning to fully working condition by physically travelling all around Vancouver Island and BC interiors on her very first work term at Earthquakes Canada.

Trisha is also on the Dean’s honors list for her academic achievements. She genuinely has a love for physics and is an active presenter in many physics conferences such as Canadian Undergraduate Physics Conference, Undergraduate Pacific Physics and Astronomy Conference and the Northwest Women in Physics Conference. The networking opportunity serves a variety of purposes for Trisha including seeing the work and research done by others and getting a new perspective on the other schools in Canada. In order to give back, Trisha was part of the organizing committee for UBC's hosting of the Canadian Women in Physics Conference in 2012 and involved in the early stages of planning for the Canadian Undergraduate Physics Conference. Due to her presentations at these conferences, she has also received the “Dean of Science Scholarship” in both 2010 and 2011.

In addition, Trisha has been the Residence Advisor on campus for two years, key executive for the Science Co-op Student Association (SCOOPS) and previously served as the President of the Physics Society. Through these positions, she has the opportunity to share her experiences with others and benefit many students who are still in the quest of searching the right path for their career and academic journey.

We congratulate Trisha on her wonderful accomplishments in her academic life and very proudly announce her as the winner of 2012 Science Co-op Student of the Year. We thank Trisha’s for her incomparable contributions to the Physics and UBC community.